More Than Meets the Eye
by Meydral Skirata
Summary: All Alpha-98 "Nate" wanted was to feel like he actually mattered, and that he wasn't just a soldier waiting for death. Then, when he meets a Mandalorian woman and her children his life is changed forever. But is it better or worse?
1. Chapter 1

_**Welcome all readers! I've really been looking forward to writing this, I hope you all enjoy! Just an acknowledgement, I do not own Alpha-98 "Nate", you can look him up on Wookieepedia, and if you do, yes I am changing his story very much. I'm not using Sheeka in this story, I'm using my own character and her kids, I own them. Other than that, I hope you all like it! **_

To a clone every single one of their identical faces only mattered to their brothers. No one else in the galaxy thought stang about them. Wet droids, that's what they were known as. They didn't matter, they were expandable.

To an Alpha trooper, they wanted to prove those theories wrong. Prove that they mattered, and they actually thought like a normal person, and that they cared and had feelings. Just like any person. Only difference was that they aged faster, and all they knew was fighting, did it matter? They were like any other person.

Alpha-98, better known as Nate, just wanted to feel like he wasn't just a soldier. That he actually could be somebody. He wanted a life of his own, a real future. But he would never leave his brothers behind. It was not only a disgrace to their brotherhood, but it was against his own inner code. It would break his heart and shame him beyond the point of forgiveness.

So, that's why he fought right now. Shooting down as many droids as he could to save his brothers and the refugees. The Generals were cutting droids with their lightsabers repeatedly, and Nate tried to provide them as much cover as he could. While at the same time keeping an eye on his brothers and any of the refugees that were aiding them.

One brother fell, and Nate felt the immediate hurt that always came with watching a brother die. Tears were beginning to brim his eyes, but he hurriedly blinked them away. He had to focus on the battle. One of the first lessons he was ever taught as an trooper was that if if a soldier's head is not in the game he didn't stand a chance. Although Nate wanted more out of life, he still wanted to live.

A refugee came rushing in, carrying a sack of supplies on her back. She was a Mandalorian, and she seemed to be holding out her own just fine with her twin blasters, but Nate provided her cover anyway. Her black and dark red armor went in and out of his view as she ran and duck for cover as she reached the defense line and emptied her sack of ammo.

Nate focused his attention back to cutting down the droids. One by one, many more fell by his hand. Then explosions started ringing out. Nate whipped his head to the left and cringed as he saw more of his brothers either killed or injured by a bomb blast. Then he heard something land right next to him. A grenade had fallen right next to his leg. Nate calculated he had at least 15 seconds to move ran for his life, and then the bomb went off. He was knocked down by the force of the blast, but he was otherwise ok. As soon as he looked up he saw the Mando woman he had cover fired for huddling into a rock to protect herself from the blasts. Just as soon as he regained his composition and had managed to stand a grenade landed right beside her, and she didn't even realize it. On instinct he reacted, and rushed towards her, throwing himself on top of her just as the grenade exploded. Nate took full force of the blast and he felt himself slamming against a wall and land in on his back.

His vision was blurry, but he was alive. The next thing he knew was that he could hear a woman's voice, and through his blurry vision he could make out the Mando woman. She was saying something, he just couldn't make out what. The next thing he felt was her hands trying to help him up. His body felt so stiff, and when he moved it hurt. So, Nate protested against her, but she got the upper hand and managed to brace his back. However, when she had sat him up he felt a searing pain in his shoulder blade, and he immediately knew he had been shot. He fought to stay conscious, but lost and he slipped into darkness.

_**How is it? Do you like it, does it need work? Please leave reviews,I always enjoy to hear what you have to say! More chapters coming soon, and you learn who this Mando woman is! God bless! **_


	2. Chapter 2

_**I understand that the first chapter was short, but with me chapter size varies. Thank you to gunman and LongLiveTheClones for your reviews! God bless! **_

**Ord Cestuss**

Kyramla ran as fast as her legs would carry her across the battle ground. Dodging blaster bolts and firing back at the droids kept her adrenalin pumped. The only thing she was thinking of was making sure these men got the ammo they needed. Her life, more importantly their's depended on it.

When she thought of clones she only saw them as men who were abused. Everyone has the right to a choice, and it disgusted Kyramla beyond belief that the Repuic used these men as their slaves with no thought of remorse, when they claimed to be against slavery. For Manda's sake these were living, breathing, human beings, not droids; they were brothers. They loved each other, they had feelings, felt pain, yet most of them would never know the joy of freedom. What it was like to live their own lives besides a life of servitude to a corrupt Republic, and it broke her heart. She had been taught all her life to be compassionate towards others, and seeing these poor men the way she did how could she not be compassionate?

Finally, she made it to their line of defense and simply emptied her sack of ammo all among them. Now came the easy part, getting back.

Easier said than done. A bomb blast knocked Kyramla off of her feet, and when she regained her composure she could see the bodies of some of the clones littering her vision. Her heart ached for them, but she still had to focus on her survival. She had landed beside a large boulder, so she scrambled behind it for cover away from the blasts. All she could think about now was her children.

Shya, Brokar, and Kadin. Kyramla's 3 precious children. Ever since she had left Mandalore a few weeks ago when she had volunteered for war service Kyramla ached being away from her children. She had never left them alone before. Seeing as how it was always her husband that had been the one to leave, and she stayed behind to look after their home and kids. A few weeks ago however, her husband had passed away. She didn't want to leave her kids behind alone where she couldn't reach them in time, but she also wanted to help in the war effort, like her husband had. Besides, she had left them with her parents, and she knew they would keep her kids safe. For now though, Kyramla had to focus on staying alive.

A trooper just launched himself on top of her, and before she could react about it a blast knocked her and him backwards. She was ok, a little dazed, but alright. She searched for the trooper through the haze of dust that had spawned..

His armor was charred, and he wasn't moving when she saw him. Panic took over all of Kyramla's body, and she sprang into action. As soon as she was beside him she checked to make sure he was conscious. "Trooper?" She shook him gently to no affect. "Trooper, can you hear me?" She could feel him breathing which was a good sign, the real question is was he conscious. "Trooper, if you can hear me move your fingers!" She watched both his hands for any twitch, any kind of movement. None! So, he wasn't conscious. Ok, Kyramla made a list of what she had to do. First of all, she had to move him. As careful as he could she started lifting him, then he made a noise and tried to pull away from her. Ok, so he was conscious. "I know this hurts Trooper, and I'm so sorry! But I have to move you, alright? We got to get you to safety! But you have to help me! Now listen I'll help you, but you have to stand!" Kyramla hoped he could here her. This was already as hard as it could be!

Despite his protests Kyramla managed to get the trooper into a sitting position. Just when she thought she was halfway there the trooper suddenly jolted, and Kyramla could see that he had been shot in the shoulder blade. "Trooper!" She shouted. "Trooper!" She shook him a little this time, and when he didn't protest she knew he was out. When she checked though he was still breathing! But she wasn't out of the blue yet. She still had to get him to the medical ward. First things first, she removed his helmet so he could breath a little easier.

As soon as Kyramla had removed his armor and placed it in a pack, she flung the trooper over her shoulder, the pack on her other one, and carried him off toward the Mandalorian camp.

Kyramla wasn't even tired by the time she reached the camp, and the camp was nearly a half click away. Being raised a Mandalorain Kyramla was put through hard, back breaking training. Her mother and father had pushed her too limits she almost couldn't handle, their were times when she thought they were just doing this to torture her, and later in the night she would lay in her room and cry. Then her parents would come in and comfort her. Her Papa's gentle voice and comforting embrace, and then her mother would tend to any wounds she had and as always talk sweetly to her. Then when days were really bad, Mama would make her favorite! Tiingilar and uj cake! That always made her feel better. As usual, after a few years it got easier, and she had built up her body to deal with heavy objects like the pack and the trooper.

Now she reached the camp and approached the medical ward. A medic immediately came to her aid and took the trooper, but she stayed by his side. He had saved her life, she owed him for that; and she intended to fill it. "Alright what happened?" The medic asked.

"Bomb blast and a blast wound in the shoulder blade." Kyramla replied.

"Alright, I'll work on him. Best you step outside ma'am." Kyramla looked at the wounded troopers face, and then stepped outside, but didn't leave. She needed to give his armor back after all, and she wanted to make sure he was alright. She owed him that. After what he did for her. Hard to believe that he would risk his life for someone else other than his brothers. The fact that he did though made her feel protective of him. She was that way with anybody. It was instinct for her.

It was nightfall by the time the medic came out of the tent, looking rung out and exhausted. "How is he?" She asked him.

"He'll live. His burns are tended and the blast wound is taken care of."

"Oh good." She said. She was just going to walk off, but then she thought- "Hey, how's his recovery looking."

"He'll definitely need some time out. Not that the Tsad Droten is going to take me up on that."

"Well, what if I took him to my place?"

The medic looked at her. "Hey, it's like you said, the Tsad Droten won't let him have a time out. I've got some farmland back home on Manalore. It'd be good for him."

The medic looked from her to the tent and back. "Alright, I'll let them know he's out of action. You take him home, but keep him grounded and resting for a couple weeks. Then start getting him back on his feet, and he'll be back to scrapping Seps in no time."

Kyramla was thankful the medic had heard her out. She wondered though how her family would take to him.


	3. Chapter 3

_**First off, I thank all of you for your support and reviews; secondly, I apologize for not putting a translation at the bottom of the last chapter, as some words are in Mando. To clarify a question, Tsad Droten is the Mando translation for the Republic. I do not own any of the characters, except for the ones I created, like Kyramla and her family. Enjoy and Review! God bless!**_

Mandalore didn't look like nothing but just a regular giant ball to Nate. He had seen enough planets in his lifetime to figure that there just wasn't anything special about any particular one; despite Kyramla's references.

Knowing that he would be here sitting off his shebs while his brothers would still be out there risking their lives made Nate feel extremely guilty. Like a baby, but Kyramla had insisted.

Never had Nate met anyone like her. When he had woken up she was so caring, and actually concerned about him. Nate had never met someone who cared about the welfare of clone. To so many other people he was just as expandable as a droid, but Kyramla was different. She actually risked her own life to save him. Repaying the favor is what she called it.

The thing was, it made him uncomfortable, that he would be staying in her home. Not that he wasn't grateful, quite the opposite actually, but she had kids. Nate was worried that by invading their home he was disturbing their normal routine, despite Kyramla's assurance that it would be fine.

Their view panel was fogged up as they entered the atmosphere, and then Nate could finally see the planet's surface.

Shya sat on her bed as she usually did when she was bored. Her book in hand, the light was dim, and the wind was howling outside.

Shya tried to focus on the words of her book, but all she could focus on was her mother. Shya knew what the war meant, and understood that her mother may not come back . Luckily, Kadin and Brokar were still too young to understand, but for Shya it was a heavy burden. Ever since her father died, she had been more than paranoid of her mother passing on too very soon. Despite everything her mother said to soothe her brothers Shya understood her mother may very well just be lying to get past them. After all, Dad had said he'd be around forever.

Shya's father had died nearly a couple months ago. It was a shock to all of them when he had gotten sick. No amount of soup could make him better. Then one day Shya woke up and walked out of her room, and found her mother sitting just outside her and her father's door. Shya dared sneak a peak inside when Mama wasn't looking and saw Dad laying in bed. At first Shya registered him to be asleep, but when he wasn't moving at all, Shya realized...

Shya shook it out of her head. and had regreted ever seeing that, and tried not to think about it. It was too painful, and Mama always blamed herself for letting Shya see that. Which evidently caused this. It was anything but Mama's fault. She was grieving just as Shya was, she couldn't process a thought very well at the moment.

Shya just decided to stop thinking about it all together, and tries to go back to reading her book. Until Kadin came bashing into her room. "What?" Shya snapped.

"Mama's home!" Kadin shouted. "Mama's home!" Kadin ran out the room. Then Shya just dropped her book and followed close behind her younger brother.

Nate didn't know what to think of what Kyramla called her bastion. It looked more like farmland than anything. Wheat fields and other crops were spread everywhere in the soil. Then a large hut sat in the middle of everything, and a few smaller buildings where placed around it. "I know it doesn't look like much, but it's not bad once you get used to it." Kyramla said.

Nate glanced at her and then the bastion again. "I guess I don't really have much choice, do I?" Nate said.

Kryamla chuckled and then got behind him to push him. "Come on then soldier," Nate was in a wheelchair/hover chair as a result of his injury. It was awkward for Nate to be wheeled around like this, but as a result of his burns and shot wound he was weak and had no choice. "Let's get you introduced to everyone."

As they moved closer Nate observed the large hut. He had never seen anything like it. Kyramla must have noticed him starring at it. "It's called a _vheh'yaim_. It's a traditional Mandalorian home." Nate angled his head at it. "Kinda shabby for my taste."

From behind Kyramla chuckled again. "On the outside. But it sure is nice and cozy on the inside." Nice and cozy was fine with Nate! As long as he could get out of this chair.

Suddenly, Nate saw light shining out of the house. Then a shadow of someone, which turned out to be a toddler. No less than five he looked. He was followed by another older boy, and a much older girl. Then he felt his chair being stopped, and watched as Kyramla ran toward the kids.

Kyramla had totally forgotten about Nate and just left him there as she ran to her kids. "Mama! Mama!" All three of them chorused. Kyramla kneeled down and caught her two boys and held them to her chest, and she embraced Shya with her left arm followed by het daughter's embrace. Kyramla was thankful she had kept her _buy'ce_ on. She wouldn't want her kids to see her cry. Being with her kids again was always bittersweet, and did always cause a few tears. Even Mandaloraian's shed a few tears once in a while.

The family pulled apart and Kyramla got look at them for any changes. As a mother she was always looking for those, classic paranoia. "You three were good right?"

"Yes!" Kadin and Brokar responded at the same time. "Yes ma'am." Shya replied.

"Good." Kyramla turned to he 5-year old-son, who seemed a little more jumpy than usual. Kyramla knew the look on his face all too well. "Brokar? Are you hiding something from Mama?" Of course, with the mischievousness of one as young as Brokar he shook his head. "Oh really? _Kadin'ika_, do you know what _Brok'ika_ is hiding?" Kadin also shook his head. So Kyramla turned to the one she she could trust. "_Shy'ika_?"

Shya pointed to her youngest brother. "He ate all the uj cake!"

"No I didn't!" Brokar protested.

"Yes you did! It's written all over your face!"

"I did not!"

"Alright! That is enough! We'll sort this out later, if the uj is in fact gone I'll make some more. Alright?"

"Eleck." All three of them responded.

"Good."

"Mama?" Kadin asked. "Who's that?" Kryamla turned around, and saw Nate still sitting where she left him.

"_Adi'kas_," Kyramla said as she turned to them.

Nate watched the bittersweet family moment between Kyramla and her kids. He couldn't help but notice that the older girl looked just like her.

The only family Nate had ever known where his brothers. Only he wasn't close to them like this family, and some other brothers. Being an ARC he was used to being on his own. Nate still loved his brothers more than anything, and would dp anything for them, but real family kinship was something he never really knew.

Nate watched as the kids nodded to something Kyramla had said, and then they started in his direction. Her sons' hands in Kyramla's.

The young girl was the first to reach him. She clasped his elbow with her palm. Luckily he had his helmet on, and she wouldn't see his face. "Su cuy'gar! I'm Shya!" At first Nate didn't know what to say, he just watched her face as she waited for him to respond.

"Uh...I'm Nate." Was the best he could come up with.

"Good to meet you Nate." Kyramla came up behind her daughter. "I see you've met Shya. This is Brokar," She gestured to the smallest boy hiding behind her leg, "and Kadin." She gestured to the other boy.

Nate made a small, childish, wave to the small boys, but they just recoiled even more behind their mother. "Forgive them, they're shy."

"It's alright. I understand." Nate said.

"You boys don't want to say hello?" Kyramla sweet talked them. The boys just shook their heads, and hid more behind their mother.

Nate just watched Kyramla's sons recoil behind her, but he took no offense. He got it a lot from civilians. "I say we get inside. It's getting cold out here." Shya moved behind Nate and began pushing him toward the vheh'yaim, Kyramla and her sons following close behind.

_Vocab: _

_Kyramla - Deadly _

_Tsad Droten - The Republic _

_vheh'yaim - traditional Mandalorian house _

_buy'ce - helmet _

_'ika - little (add it to the name)_

_Brok'ika - Little Brokar _

_Kadin'ika - Little Kadin_

_Shy'ika - Little Shya _

_Eleck - yes _

_Adi'ka - little one _

_Su cuy'gar - Hello (You're still alive) _

_Shebs - back_

_**I think this chapter and the end of chapter 2 may need a little bit of work, and I will get on it as soon as I can. Other than that, how did I do? Please leave polite and inspirational reviews. Thank you for your support and God bless! **_


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